Don't Bother Me
by Gwynn
Summary: Takeda Sayaka catches the eye of both Easter and Ikuto with the emergence of her new Shugo Chara. Contains some sensuality/mature themes/strong language. Ikuto/OC, loosely follows manga, some Ikuto POVs, NO Tadase bashing, in character material only
1. Chapter 1: Sayaka

**Title: Don't Bother Me**

**Author's Note:** First off, this is an AU story. I like the Ikuto/Amu pairing, but I thought I'd try my hand at Ikuto/OC for something different. Yes, I will try to include fanservice, but only when it is NECESSARY to the plot. My main goal is to create an in-character story. Frankly, I will be following the storyline of the manga rather than the anime, because I feel even the official anime screws up Ikuto by pandering to too much fanservice and filler plot lines. Nonetheless, I do give due credit to Ikuto's very talented voice actor for making Ikuto quite enjoyable to listen to. ;) Anyway, if you'd like a good example of what I base my OC off of, read the manga _Dengeki Daisy. _I hope you enjoy this chapter, and if you want more, please review, and feel free to include any constructive criticism.

**Chapter 1**

"Thanks for coming along with me, Kukai. I can always use an extra pair of hands for getting groceries to make dinner."

"No problem, Sayaka, as long as you uphold your end of the bargain by sharing that dinner with me tonight," my best friend, Souma Kukai, cheerily answered almost immediately. His green eyes sparkled amiably over at me, and he ran a hand a through his spiky brown hair. He'd arrived to assist me in my shopping venture straight from soccer practice, still dressed in his team uniform, to help me out at the convenience store located nearest to my apartment.

"That's Sayaka-sempai to you," I couldn't resist teasing him. "I'm one year older than you in school, remember? In fact, I'm in middle school now, and you're still stuck in elementary school."

Kukai shrugged. "I've only got a short amount of time before I graduate and join you at the same school again." He let his eyes wander across the roomy store before taking the scrap of paper in my hands and tearing it in half, suggesting, "We'll split the shopping list to speed things up. I'll meet you at the register, okay?"

"Fine, fine. Leave me alone to suffer in misery." I dramatically placed the back of my hand on my head, acting faint.

"Sayaka, the damsel-in-distress look doesn't work for you. I'd lose the act if I were you." I glared at the back of Kukai's head as he merrily strolled away upon insulting me so casually, then I set out to collect my portion of the shopping list.

Suddenly, something caught my eye. A tiny, purple-haired person – if it could even be called that – floated by. However, that part wasn't the weirdest of my hallucination. No, the creature had to be even more of an example of the bizarre by wearing a black punk outfit with a large white cross on the front of his shirt and sporting purple cat ears, a tail, and little paws for both hands and feet.

"W-what is that?" I thought aloud, causing someone to glance curiously in my direction. I pointed at the little cat-thing.

"You don't see it?" I asked, starting to feel like an idiot. The woman shook her head and raised an eyebrow.

_Am I going crazy?_ I asked myself inwardly. _Naw, it can't be real._ I glanced back down again, realizing the little cat-thing had locked eyes with me.

"Y-you can see me, nya?!"

"Eh?! You can talk?"

More people stared at me, and I began to feel a little out of place. I quickly grabbed the little cat-thing, pulling him around a corner. I shut my eyes, hoping he'd be gone when I opened them again, but alas, no such luck...

"What _are_ you?" I whispered, panicking.

"A Guardian Character, nya."

"A _what_?"

"A Guardian Character," he repeated, dropping the 'nya' and emphasizing the syllables more clearly.

"Which is…?" I prompted, staring to get irritated.

"How come you can see me and not know what I am, nya?"

"How should I know?!" I nearly hissed, mumbling as an afterthought, "Maybe the same reason you can speak, but not answer a direct question."

The little cat tilted his head, examining me quizzically with his piercing yellow eyes.

"Well, what's your name?" I finally inquired, exasperated by his silence.

"Yoru, nya," he supplied, smiling mischievously. He pointed to a bag of dried sardines on a shelf nearby. "If you buy me these sardines, I'll tell you about Guardian Characters, nya."

I considered Yoru's proposal for an instant, cursing my naturally inquisitive nature, then sighed and nodded. Grabbing the bag and adding it to the shopping basket filled with my own things, I headed towards the clerk, glancing around furtively in order to make sure Kukai didn't spot me leaving. I didn't dare involve the level-headed Kukai in this situation. He'd for certain think I'd been throughly knocked off my rocker.

We walked out a few minutes later, and I automatically handed Yoru his food.

"So…?" I urged.

"So, what, nya? I got my sardines, I don't have to do anything for you, nya!" he sneered, flying off.

"Wha-! Get back here! Yoru!" I shouted and ran after him.

After I'd chased him down two streets and into an alley, I stopped when he paused to smirk with satisfaction at the fact that I'd bothered to follow him at all. Panting, burdened down with two heavily-laden shopping bags, I glared at him, and tried to salvage the loss of my dignity in this failed pursuit by also smirking, albeit it being marred by my heavy breathing.

"Sure you can fly over those buildings before I catch you?"

"Yep, nya!" Yoru widened his grin, which infuriated me to the point of my deciding to give up.

"Oh, fine! Take the stupid sardines! You don't have to tell me anything about Guardian Characters."

When I whirled around to storm off back to the store, I unexpectedly met the stoic gaze of a teenage boy who stood in front of me. Dark blue hair, midnight-colored eyes, lithe, agile frame… and a black formfitting uniform that resembled the one worn by guys at a high school my older brother had graduated from. I blinked at him, wondering at his abrupt presence. Inwardly, I kicked myself, hoping I hadn't looked too much like an idiot, screaming at an empty space…

"What did you do this time, Yoru?" the boy questioned, taking his intense, assessing eyes off me. Great, now I had a fellow Guardian Character seeing lunatic on the scene.

"N-nothing, Ikuto, nya!" Yoru defended himself, vainly attempting to hide the bag behind his body, forgetting its large size.

What happened next seemed almost comical in light of the ridiculous circumstances: Ikuto studied Yoru for a moment, walked past me, flicked him lightly on the face, and finished off the exchange between this odd pair by tearing the sardines away from Yoru. Slowly, Ikuto approached me with what I could only describe as a catlike grace. Instead of returning the sardines as I'd expected him to do, he leaned in and seized a lock of my black hair next to my ear, sniffing it. I involuntarily stepped back a little.

"You don't smell like you've had a Character birth…" he murmured thoughtfully, his face still uncomfortably close to mine.

"I don't smell like _what_?" I demanded, really weirded out by this high school guy who was willing to get up so close and personal with a seventh-grader. "What _is_ it with you two and this Guardian Characters concept anyway?"

Much to my relief, I heard Kukai call my name from behind me. Nevertheless, the harsh way he uttered my name sort of freaked me out, as if my best friend knew how much of a potential danger this Ikuto might be. I spun around and was instantly assaulted with the astonishment etched plainly on Kukai's face as he stood in the entrance to the alley, shopping bag in hand, although Ikuto's carefully modulated voice compelled me to turn my head back in his direction.

"Looks like we have company," he remarked rather slyly, smirking and sliding the bag of sardines into one of my shopping bags. "Come on, Yoru. We have work elsewhere."

"Okay, nya."

"Later, Sayaka," Ikuto directed at me, his smirk deepening further and further into Cheshirelike pervertedness. "You have interesting friends. I'm sure they'd be able to help you with understanding about Guardian Characters."

To my amazement, blue cat ears and a tail materialized out of thin air on Ikuto. He jumped nimbly atop one of the surrounding buildings, disappearing from view, Yoru faithfully trailing him like a stray cat who'd been fed by a kind stranger would do.

"How are his moves even _possible_?" I exclaimed, far too engrossed in the moment to wonder about Ikuto's parting hint. Kukai, though, took the initiative before I did.

"Sayaka, we need to talk," Kukai announced in an uncharacteristically calm, serious tone that caused an unpleasant feeling to settle into the pit of my stomach.


	2. Chapter 2: Sayaka

**Title: Don't Bother Me**

**Author's Note:** In case anyone's wondering, there will be no Amu in this story. I respect her own unique position in _Shugo Chara_ that I just don't want to do love triangles or comparing between two very different characters when it comes to the Humpty Lock. As Sayaka is a little older than Amu, the Guardians won't have nearly as much interaction with Sayaka (at least until the conflict with Easter escalates), and there won't be other love interests for her among the Guardians. Just Ikuto/Sayaka all the way. A simple love story with, of course, a predicable, sweet ending.

**Chapter 2**

"We have to talk, eh?" I flatly echoed back my best friend's ominous words. The full realization that Kukai, one of the most open, good-natured people I'd ever known, would keep anything important from one of his closest friends, unnerved me to no end.

Because of this uneasiness, I refused to face Kukai again until I calmed down. "I'm sorry I wasn't totally honest with you..." my best friend began, his words trailing off painfully. I then heard his entreating footsteps edge toward me very cautiously. Luckily for the both of us, dusk had just fallen, so the increasing darkness hide the self-conscious blushes that must've adorned not just my face but also Kukai's in this tense silence.

"Let's do this talk somewhere a bit less public," I snapped petulantly as soon as I felt Kukai's hand on my shoulder. I quickly repented my blunt words the instant I spun around on the ball of my heels and confronted the nervous frown scrunching up his reddened features. "All right, I'll quit giving you a hard time. You seem to be having enough trouble as it is. This story must really be a doozy."

"Yep," Kukai affirmed, draping a friendly arm around me as a way of reestablishing the camaraderie between us.

& & &

Although I did cook, I only bothered with simple dishes because I mainly completed this task for my sake alone after my parents had died in a fiery car crash two years ago. Hansuke, my twenty-one-year-old brother, worked long hours as a personal assistant to an executive at a corporation called Easter. He earned good money for his age, which was a big reason why I was allowed to go live with him in his two-bedroom apartment on the second story of a small apartment complex. However, before Hansuke was shouldered the responsibility of taking care of me, he lived the life of a carefree young man with many friends, including Kukai's older brothers. This association paved the way for Kukai and I to become good friends, too.

Kukai and I didn't talk much while we prepared spicy curry and rice for dinner, but our stillness didn't mean we both weren't stewing over the recent brush with that Ikuto guy. When we sat down to finally eat, I opened my mouth to blurt out: "Okay, what the hell are Guardian Characters?"

My impatient directness caused Kukai to shake his head a little and chuckle. "There's not much to tell. See, all kids have an egg within their soul. These eggs normally can't be seen, yet...if you wish for something, from the bottom of your heart, strongly enough, then your egg may become visible, giving birth to your own Guardian Character."

"Like the cat one I saw with Ikuto tonight?" I guessed.

"Yeah," Kukai confirmed, looking a little uncomfortable. There seemed to be some kind of antagonism between Kukai and Ikuto, but for now, it wasn't my place to dredge up the reason for this bad blood since I was such a newcomer to the Guardian Character scene.

"Don't you have a Guardian Character, too?"

Kukai nodded, considerably relieved by my deliberate change in subject. "His name is Daichi. He was born from my desire to become good in lots of sports. Sometimes, Daichi can be a little...over the top, so he'll stay home when he's like that."

I couldn't help laughing at Kukai's somewhat embarrassed expression. "If Daichi is _that_ energetic, I can't wait to meet him!" My delight then rapidly descended down into disappointment. "Too bad I don't have a Guardian Character."

"Are you sure about that? Maybe you just missed the egg. After all, only those with a Guardian Character should be able to see them."

Startled, I let my chopsticks clatter to my half-eaten plate. My eyes met Kukai's, and we both mentally came to the same conclusion: recheck my room. Simultaneously, a faint but definite _thud_ could be heard from my room. Alarmed by the possibility of an intruder, I charged toward my room and entered it just in time for me to flick the lightswitch and thus properly illuminate the threat contained therein. Before me, Ikuto was in the process of opening the glass door to the balcony outside my room. Yoru floated behind Ikuto, holding a simple white egg in his paws.

"What are you doing here?" I cried.

Ikuto merely resorted to his mysterious smirk. "Sorry, Sayaka, I need this egg more than you."

In the meantime, Kukai appeared by my side, a deep scowl on his face. "Ikuto, leave her out of your dirty work for Easter!"

"You work for Easter...like my brother Hansuke?" I asked, stunned.

Ikuto's face remained infuriatingly impassive, yet he didn't deny Kukai's accusation. Personally, I couldn't believe that a company would employ teenagers to commit cat burglary on holders of Guardian Characters. Considering Ituko's catlike Guardian Character, I almost wanted to laugh at the irony.

"If Sayaka is smart, she'll stay out of my way and just let me take her egg," Ikuto warned me, fully opening the balcony door. That snide remark snapped out my stupor and pushed me right into the territory of cold anger. How dare this cat asshole nonchalantly invade my sense of privacy like he had a right to!

As if to add salt to the wound, Ikuto held out his hand to Yoru, who obediently dropped my egg into the open palm. "This is the embryo, isn't it? It sure looks like it might be," he murmured thoughtfully, his tongue flicking out to lick my egg suggestively.

"What the hell are you doing to my egg?!?" I protested, too caught up in the moment to pay much notice to his "embryo" comment.

My feet propelled me into a flying tackling leap that hit Ikuto _hard_. Down the both of us crumpled into an awkward heap on the floor, appendages twisted together, our faces too close for comfort, especially since Ikuto was the one on top. Ikuto's carefully controlled mask shattered, pure astonishment at my sudden attack shining through.

"Are you okay, Ikuto, nya?" Yoru cried, hovering about us solicitously.

_So Yoru really cares about Ikuto. How sweet..._I thought sarcastically.

Fortunately, Kukai managed to catch my sailing egg before it could land and crack open. The assurance that my egg was safe allowed me to at last do something I'd been itching to do all along: smack Ikuto across the face.

"You weren't very cute when you did that," Ikuto complained in a bored voice, the indifferent mask surging back up to the surface. He glanced up at Kukai, who'd adopted a defensive stance with the egg.

"Ikuto.." Kukai growled.

"No fighting, no fighting!" I yelled desperately. "I don't want my brother to kick my ass if he finds this place all torn up!"

The boy above me simply smirked. "No fighting for your brother's sake? All right, you win for now, but remember, Sayaka, you could have ended any more unwelcome visits from me had you given up your egg."

In one fluid motion, Ikuto stood up and slipped through the balcony door. Yoru threw me a parting dirty look for my conduct toward his master. After a moment, I uprighted myself and cautiously peered outside.

Ikuto had already vanished.

"How _does_ that weirdo get around?" I marveled at Ikuto's long-legged grace.


	3. Chapter 3: Sayaka

**Title: Don't Bother Me**

**Author's Note:** Well, I got a question about Sayaka's precise age. Since Sayaka is in the seventh grade, that makes her 13 years old. I love the character of Kukai and prefer to have a slightly older character anyway since I can do more with Sayaka. I also got the suggestion that Ikuto should act more stoic toward the main character. I would argue I've kept Ikuto in character for the situations involved so far as I'm only following the exact things Ikuto does toward Amu in both the manga and anime (i.e., smelling Amu to check for Character birth, and licking one of Amu's eggs as he asks if it's the embryo). Thank you for critiquing me, rin03. I hope you continue to do so. Jae, I know you're still waiting on that long awaited Star Wars fic update, but don't worry, it's coming slowly yet surely. Meanwhile, thanks for reviewing this story on a manga you're not familiar with. Koneko96, thanks for your praise. Yes, I wanted a very different story, and I hope I succeed in the end.

**Chapter 3**

After Ikuto's nice little break-in, Kukai insisted upon staying until my brother returned home. It wasn't hard to convince me to agree to this offer of protection. Two creepy brush encounters in one day with a pervy, egg-stealing cat boy definitely encouraged me to keep a temporary bodyguard around. Plus, I was itching for more information on Guardian Characters.

Kukai proved more than willing to oblige me. Apparently, as the child becomes an adult, the egg will disappear without a trace. However, it can be assumed that if the child stays attached to his or her hopes and dreams, the egg will stay even through adulthood. If the egg's owner is burdened by worries and doubts, the egg will turn into an X-egg and eventually hatch into an evil and aggressive X-character and attack everyone in sight. Their owner is usually their first target. Because they are still connected to their owners, they can sometimes express depressions through their X-Characters.

Some fun Guardian Character characteristics to list before I move on to their main power: In order to be able to move freely, all Guardian Characters possess the ability to fly freely in the air. Guardian Characters also possess a separated magic power of their own, depending on their representation. They can sense the presence of fellow Guardian Characters, as well as X-Eggs, X-Characters and Heart's Eggs. Lastly, Guardian Characters can communicate with animals. That last fact send a shiver down my spine. I sensed nothing but trouble emerging from Yoru's probable association with the local cat population.

A Guardian Character's main power is to use Character Change with its owner, which grants him or her limited special powers and become a specific personality. Once a person Character Changes, something will appear on their bodies as an aspect to the change. Hence, the whole reason why Ikuto busted out cat ears and a tail along with some major gravity defining moves. Though Character Change can be controlled by Guardian Characters, the user can burst into a Character Change on his own when he is exposed to something that provokes his would-be personality.

A Character Transformation simply involves someone combining powers with his or her Guardian character. The Guardian Character goes into his or her egg, which then disappears into the owner's heart. This ability surpasses the power of a Character Change by 120% of its normal power. Because this ability is rare, there aren't many who can transform.

"Not even you?" I asked of Kukai.

"Nope, but a guy can dream, right?" A big smile in my direction. Leave it to optimistic Kukai to see an upside to a downside.

During a transformation, the owner can use various magical abilities powered by the Guardian Character. The Guardian Character is still active, for he or she can still communicate and can force the owner to do some actions unwillingly. Amazingly, two even rarer events can occur after the already rare production of a transformation: the owner switching transformations if he or she owns more than one Guardian Character, or transform with other people's Guardian Characters. Nonetheless, the power is not at its best, and the transformation will last shorter and consume one's energy faster.

While I was busy processing all this knowledge, I stared at the white egg lying on my white, round, short-legged kitchen table next to our two empty plates. We'd finished dinner long ago, and because I wasn't occupied with another task like eating, I found myself wondering if my ultimate dream had actually manifested itself into something real.

"You know, I haven't even bothered to ask you what you wished for when the egg was born," Kukai ventured as he observed my steady gaze on the egg. "What's your dream, Sayaka?"

I blushed, startled that I'd been so obviously spacing out. It wasn't my stye. Yet..introspection is a huge part of the type of dream I had. I hadn't told anyone of it, not even Hansuke or Kukai. Well, now was my chance to correct that grievous error of omission. It was kind of amazing I'd waited as long as I did. Kukai was always so easy to talk to about any problems I had.

"I want to be a writer," I announced in a hushed tone.

Kukai's face expressed the surprise I'd expected to incite. "Wow, that's different from what you're normally into. I mean, I thought your life was all about rhythmic gymnastics."

Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individual competitors or more (generally five) manipulate one or two apparatuses: rope, hoop, ball, clubs, and ribbon. Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport that combines elements of ballet, gymnastics, theatrical dance, and apparatus manipulation. The victor is the participant who earns the most points, as awarded by a panel of judges, for leaps, balances, pirouettes, flexibilities, apparatus handling, execution, and artistic effect. In a way, rhythmic gymnastics physically should have fulfilled my desire of gracefully and meaningfully expressing myself to the world. Nonetheless, I wasn't satisfied with that pastime alone. I loved to read and daydream about ideas far better revealed in writing rather than rhythmic gymnastics.

"Yeah, I've been doing rhythmic gymnastics for what, like seven years? I remember my parents seeing my first competition right before they died," I reminisced in a wistful voice before I remembered myself and reined in my sorrow. "See, I _know _have a story inside of me. Yeah, everybody has a story to tell, but I _really_ have an urge to write a story like I have an itch to scratch. Hopefully, it's one people _want_ to get acquainted with.

"I'm not actually sure what story it is I want to write. I've always had trouble finding something of great enough interest. Last night is a typical example..." Understanding dawned on my face. "I must've given birth to this egg last night! I was attempting to come up with a poem at home that I'd been inspired to write based on my current routine in the rhythmic gymnastics club, but I didn't succeed so well..."

Flashback!

_''I think I need some fresh air..'' I muttered and walked to the door out on my own little balcony off my bedroom._

_I couldn't help but smile even in spite of myself as I looked up at the smoggy city skyline. Glancing at my wrist watch, I realized it was already almost 10 p.m., pretty late for me to be up. Time sure goes by fast...when you suck at writing._

_At least stars never disappoint. Stars are always sure to inspire admiration. Small, piercing lights lighting up the vast darkness in the night. Will they always be there? This little corner of the universe would be so lonely if the stars weren't there. Even comets, dying stars that burn up and cease to exist, have their place in the spectrum of beauty._

_As if someone just read my mind, a light flashed by up in the sky. A falling star? I grinned ironically. Better make a wish then. Waste not, want not, right? I folded my hands and closed my eyes, talking aloud to myself._

_"I wish…that I could become better with words, to be more confident, thoughtful, and playful in how I express myself instead of hiding behind sarcasm. I also want to find something worthwhile to write about and share a meaningful message with the world__. __And- what am I doing?"_

_My eyes opened, and I let out a sigh. Jeez, I was such a moron. Like wishing upon a star would ever help me. It wasn't as if someone out was there fulfilling wishes. Such an idea was just….childish…_

_I stumbled inside again and lied down on my rolled out futon. Although, if someone actually is out there…I wouldn't complain. I smiled at my own contradictory musings and drifted off to sleep._

Kukai remained silent for a moment before suggesting the following: "You should meet the current Royal Guardians at Seiyo Academy."

That out of left field recommendation sparked a drawing up of one of my eyebrows in a quizzical manner. "Don't I already know one Guardian: you? I still can't believe you're involved in that student council. Sure, the perks are nice, but I wonder if the heavy workload justifies getting the privileges, and don't get me started on those ridiculous capes you wear to distinguish yourselves from other students."

"Shut up, smart-ass," Kukei grumbled good-naturedly, rolling his eyes at me. "I'm sorry I even confided in you about being a Guardian."

I laughed hard, conjecturing that Kukai was probably secretly peeved about my cape insult, given his great store of personal pride.

"Okay, I'll bite. Why should I return to my old elementary school and hang out with younger kids?"

"Um...we don't just deal with student issues and advocate for them," my best friend pointed out matter-of-factly. "The only reason I know anything about Guardian Characters is because I'm a Guardian."

Oh, boy, this last sentence quickly grabbed my attention. "Are you saying a major requirement to be a Guardian is to have your own Guardian Character?"

"Duh. Besides protecting the students, we secretly keep kids' Heart Eggs safe. We even have a book called _The Heart's Egg_ that explains what I told you about Guardian Characters. The original founder of the Guardians wrote it. Some of the pages are missing, though. No one knows why." Kukai winked significantly at me. "Maybe you could do something about that."

Pausing, I considered how useful such a book might be to me if I could hazard a gander at it. If Guardian Characters weren't unique enough to write about, I didn't know what was. "All right, you have me convinced. When do we make the visit?"

My best friend's face twisted into a crooked grin. "Normally, I have to clear appointments with the other Guardians," he indicated with another wink, this time playful in nature, "but for you, we'll skip the scheduling and drop by casually whenever your egg hatches."

We chuckled at Kukai's flippant disregard for the Guardians' rules, although I knew he was much more considerate than that. The next moment, I wondered if Kukai would even be willing to talk about Easter and Ikuto's role within the company. After all, he seemed to be on a roll tonight with the already plentiful exchange of information.

The decision to figure out if I really wished to broach the sticky Easter topic was made for me. The front door banged open and in ambled a weary Hansuke. He and I possessed the exact same thick, deep black hair and vivid chocolate brown eyes. Furthermore, we both had athletically slim builds acquired from working out on a regular basis. Yes, the two of us managed to squeeze in a single sport of particular importance, mine being rhythmic gymnastics and his being basketball.

Obviously, this was where the similarities ended. Hansuke definitely had the advantage of height on me, my 5'3" to his 6'1". Lucky for us that our heights reflected our very different sport choices. The flexibility required by rhythmic gymnastics is heightened by compact participants, while basketball favors tall players to jump high to make shots and block opponents from scoring.

Our fashion senses continued the premise of great variations between Hansuke and I. Despite 1) a middle school uniform whose skirt was shorter than I liked and 2) the elaborate, revealing outfits and beautiful updos preferred by my rhythmic gymnastics club, modesty compelled me to wear my hair in a simple, chin-length bob and donned straight leg jeans and fitted t-shirts of varying themes. Except for basketball playing, Hansuke could always be spotted in conservative garb suitable for a personal assistant in the corporate world: dress shirts, slacks, the occasional tie, and closely clipped haircut.

"I'm home, Sayaka!" Hansuke exclaimed strictly for my benefit just in case I didn't hear him arrive. We couldn't have unwelcome visitors sneaking in on a young girl like me, right? Too late. At least I'd had the revenge of slapping the bastard across the face.

My brother set his brown satchel down on the wooden foyer floor. In fact, the whole apartment possessed only wooden floors. The rent on carpeted apartments very much exceeded what Hansuke could afford. I sighted and glanced around at our odd assortment of worn, hand me down furniture inherited from several sympathetic relatives too far away to do much else. At any rate, staying at my brother's side provided me with the stability and familiarity I'd needed ensuring my parents' untimely deaths.

"I'm surprised you're still here, Kukai," Hansuke remarked curiously as he shucked his black dress shoes and replaced them with soft white house shoes. I mightily resisted the impulse to snap at Hansuke: "You should be glad Kukai's the _only_ one here." As easygoing as my brother could act toward me, he didn't want to confront the more embarrassing aspects of taking care of a younger sister if he didn't have to. If he did, his legendary sternness would emerge and kick some serious ass.

"Don't worry, I already called Okaa-san **[okaa-san=mother]**," Kukai informed Hansuke, standing up.

Meanwhile, I got up myself to put together a dinner plate for Hansuke, using the move to mask the maneuvering of my egg into the pocket of my green hoodie. No sense in taking the chance of letting Hansuke discover it. If he could even see Guardian Characters, that is.

"Well, I'm off. It's already eight o'clock."

"Say hello to your brothers for me, Kukai. I'm sure they're _always_ happy to hear when you've visited Sayaka."

I smirked at Hansuke's off-handed words and the interesting shade of red Kukai's face now displayed as he hurried out the door. My brother and Kukai's brothers loved to tease us younger siblings. The whole process was pretty funny as long as you weren't the brunt of the joke.

Hansuke made his way into the kitchen, which was open and attached to the living room. My brother promptly kneeled down at our table where Kukai had just been. Obediently, I placed a plate of rice and curry before him and handed him a pair of chopsticks before repositioning myself on the floor next to Hansuke. Because I knew how troublesome my living with him could be, I always tried to show my appreciation by performing a little personal attending to him much like he had to do in his job.

"Another long day for the both of us, eh, Hansuke?" I commented, yawning, pushing toward Hansuke a water bottle I'd retrieved from the fridge earlier and hadn't bothered to drink. Hey, it was still cold!

"Yeah..." Hansuke agreed absentmindedly, smiling and reaching out with one hand to tousle my hair with a brotherly affection.

"Hey!" I protested, though I still laughed with pleasure at his gesture. "I'm not a little kid, you know!"

"Whatever you say."

While my brother continued to chow down, I allowed a brief silence to fall between us as I contemplated the wisdom of bringing up the Easter subject. Within seconds, I decided if anyone would tell me the truth about Easter, it would be my own brother who had first-hand knowledge as an employee for the company.

"Um...can I ask you something, Hansuke?"

"Sure," he mumbled through a mouthful of food, attention turned downward to his plate, completely unaware of the ambush awaiting him.

"Does Easter have a major project involving the use of eggs?"

For a moment, Hansuke froze, staring at me with open shock before a completely unreadable expression settled itself into Hansuke's features.

"Now why would a kid like you care about what a company does in its business dealings? Besides, I work for the music division of Easter. Why would I know anything about eggs?" With that, he pushed himself up off the floor, snatched his plate and drink, and headed toward the door leading to his bedroom. "I just realized I forgot to finish a couple of more things for work. Sorry, Sayaka. I'll be in my room if you need me."

As soon as the door clicked shut, the obvious charged its way into my consciousness like an enraged, snorting bull: he knew something about Easter's dirty work. Seriously, how many more people like Hansuke were withholding the reality of the existence of Guardian Characters from me? Deep down, was one of the reasons Easter chose to employ Hansuke due to his being useful in some way with finding Guardian Characters? Worst of all, I wondered if my own brother was getting himself in over his head by working for Easter. If so, how could we possibly survive without his paycheck when push would inevitably come to shove?


	4. Chapter 4: Sayaka

**_Title: Don't Bother Me_**

**Author's Note:** Just a reminder that I went ahead and changed the encounter with Hansuke a little for last chapter. There's still the tension between Hansuke and Sayaka, but I thought I'd make it a little clearer that her brother knows something about Easter and its involvement with Guardian Characters. That last chapter was really hard for me to write because it contains a lot of the Guardian Character set-up for the rest of the story. So is this chapter, I would wager, since the basic Ikuto/Sayaka dynamic is here. I hope anyone who reads it will like the interaction between the two. Oh, next chapter will be on Ikuto point of view only. I kinda wanted to do an occasional chapter to show what he's thinking.

**Chapter Four**

For nearly a week upon first appearing, my egg didn't hatch, thereby causing a stalemate to occur. Thus, just as suddenly as my life had rapidly centered around Guardian Characters, so, too, did the matter dissipate until it only occupied a troubled corner of my mind. I followed my daily routine with some uneasiness, fervently hoping that Ikuto character wouldn't be tempted to come around again. Not that my busy schedule supplied cat boy with much opportunity to bother me.

Except for the weekend, my fun-filled day always began strictly at 5 a.m. Within an hour of rising, I had to shower, dress, eat, and walk the mile or so to the middle school I attended for two grueling hours of practice with my rhythmic gymnastics club. Next, another quick shower and a change into my school uniform had to be completed before school started at 8:30 a.m. Five classes, two recesses, and one lunch break later, I was already ready to call it a day. Nevertheless, I had to endure two more hours of rhythmic gymnastics practice until I could finally could claim the rest of the day for myself. Normally, I would shower yet again, switch to my usual t-shirt and jeans combo, stop by the convenience store for some dinner ingredients, and make it home sometime around 7 p.m. Kukai would occasionally join me for dinner, for which I was grateful to have some company I could relax around and cut loose. By about 9 p.m., exhaustion had inflicted its toll on me and compelled me to seek my bed. What about time to do homework? I reserved my weekends and my lunch and recesses breaks for that activity, or on the road if I had a nonlocal competition.

With the new issue of my egg presently inserted into my already chock-filled life, Kukai thankfully didn't push the issue of my egg's progress, although he brought Daichi over a couple of nights later for me to meet. The experience had been, to say the least, interesting and offered me new insight into my best friend.

"Are you here to bum a free dinner from me again?" I quipped to Kukai upon answering the front door, but started at the sight of a grinning Guardian Character floating next to Kukai's own smiling face.

"Of course!" my best friend replied without shame, jerking a thumb toward the Guardian Character. "I even have a partner-in-crime to help me in my quest to steal food from you. Sayaka, this is Daichi!"

Daichi's appearance resembled that of a soccer player: white sweatband around his head with a yellow star on it, sneakers, white shorts, and a yellow t-shirt. Spiky mint-green hair and darting brown eyes completed the sporty ensemble.

"Hi! Nice to meet you!" Daichi greeted me enthusiastically. Unsure of what exactly to do, I pointed my index finger at him, and he shook it so vigorously that the physical contact left me in no doubt as to who this Guardian Character belonged to.

"Oh, yeah, I can see where you're coming from when you mentioned how Daichi can be 'over the top.' He's you times ten if you could be any more lively."

Kukai's smile merely widened in response.

"Where's your Guardian Character, Sayaka?" Daichi inquired curiously, sweeping his eyes over my apartment. Suddenly self-conscious when faced with such a personal question, I stepped aside to let Kukai and Daichi in, promptly closing the door and therefore shutting out any further public display of our conversation.

"Actually, I'm still waiting for my egg to hatch," I informed Daichi, now more at ease, even daring to withdraw the object in question from its usual resting place in the pocket of my green hoodie. "How long is it supposed to take anyway, Kukai?"

"Who knows?" Kukai guessed, shrugging nonchalantly, then appeared to ponder my question with more depth. "Maybe something else besides the wish needs to trigger your egg hatching."

_What the hell more could I be doing? _I thought in frustration, the words bouncing around in my head with considerable force.

What happened on that following Sunday would provide me with the answer to this question.

& & &

For the most part, Hansuke's behavior toward me hadn't changed. However, I noticed he would stay away from home more often than regularly if he could get away with it. Much as I hated this new tension between us, I couldn't do anything about it until I knew more of Easter's mysterious role in this whole Guardian Character business. Of course, my egg had to hatch first before I could even commence that mission. After all, the Guardians would take me a bit more seriously if I had a Guardian Character of my own as a sort of clearance into their exclusive club of knowledge about Guardian Characters.

Sunday was the one day in which Hansuke couldn't use work as an excuse to avoid me. Nevertheless, he managed to rise by 8 a.m. and contacted Kukai's four older brothers for a round of pickup basketball in a nearby park. A crafty move that would permit him to be alone with me as little as possible. To be honest, I wasn't even sure I wanted to accompany my brother to a rowdy game for a sport I didn't even play anyway. My interests lay more along the lines of practicing some yoga poses in an extra effort to maintain my flexibility for an upcoming local competition this week.

"Hey, you want to come?" Hansuke inquired as almost an afterthought once off his cell phone.

We were finishing a breakfast of rice, grilled fish, and miso soup. Yes, to speed things along, both the rice and miso soup were instant. I only had to cook the fish.

"I expect you're asking because you'll require a waterboy, or in this case, a watergirl," I speculated dryly. My brother simply smirked, instantly confirming my theory and dredging up that old familiar emotion of annoyance. "Can't you get Kukai to do it? He's always being suckered into doing errands and chores for his brothers when he loses to a bet _he_ proposed to them in the first place."

_Sorry, Kukai,_ I mentally repented a moment later. However, like I mentioned before, I didn't play basketball. Kukai did. He made the more appropriate choice than I did to be their basketball slave.

Leaning forward, Hansuke's apparent mirth in this situation seemed to increase exponentially with what he uttered next. "Kukai can't step in your shoes for what is your duty alone to do. He offered to play so we'll have the same number of people per team." He waved his hand at me, staving off the cascade of protests I'd yearned to issue forth from my mouth. "I won't take no for an answer. It's my right as your older brother to subject you to occasional torture sessions."

"Ugh, oh, all right," I grumbled.

Today would be a long day in more ways than one.

& & &

The park was like any other, a dash of lush, verdant beauty that served as an recreational escape for the residents who inhabited the tight cluster of buildings surrounding this tiny utopia. At one of the several basketball courts sprinkled throughout the park, my six companions furiously carried out their three-on-three action. On the sidelines, carefully selected to ensure no one would hit me with the wildly flying basketball, I had laid down my portable, roll up yoga mat on a soft, flat patch of grass, running through my usual yoga routine, which was punctuated by brief interruptions whenever the guys needed attending.

Since the two teams were throughly engrossed in finishing their third game as I finished my yoga routine, a solution to my boredom grasped my mind. I rolled up my yoga mat, pulled on the green hoodie that'd been set on the ground next to my mat, and walked away, yoga mat tucked under my right arm. _Just like that, _I thought, smirking at the simplicity. I wish I had done it earlier, but I supposed I needed to put in a nominal effort to appease my overbearing masters.

About five minutes into my slow ambling down a winding path, a violin tune drifted my way. Something about the sorrowful sound _lurched_ my heart achingly. Intrigued, I decided to find the source of the music. I didn't have to run very far. On a low hill surrounded by trees, stood a closed eyed, violin playing Ikuto under a square, roofless white gazebo that could be accessed by a wide set of concrete stairs climbing up one side of the hill. Yoru relaxed to his owner's music on one of the nearby benches clustered around the gazebo.

_This guy plays a violin? _I marveled in amusement, standing at the bottom of the stairs. _He's too perfect for real life!_ Admittedly, Ikuto _was_ already cute in that cliché Shougo manga sort of way, and I was certain if cat boy had any fangirls, his looks would definitely be the main ingredient of attraction in an Ikuto cake. The very fact that Ikuto played such a romantic instrument was just icing. For those more daring fangirls, perhaps his pervy behavior could serve as the cherry on top.

Although I very much wanted to slip out of sight without cat boy ever having realized I'd come across him, I found my resolve to escape drown in the way Ikuto's notes seemed to be having a strange intoxicating effect on me. In fact, I was unconsciously ascending the steps _toward _Ikuto. The sheer tragedy that was quite palatable in his song made me wonder what was seething under cat boy's emotional boiler. I was also jealous of how accomplished he was at one very beautiful past time. _I wish I could write as well as he can play. I could move so many people with my words just like him, _I thought sadly.

To my shock, a muffled voice exclaimed from my pocket, "Then change that!"

Suddenly, I felt movement from the egg in my pocket. The egg floated out of its hiding place and upwards until it hovered eye-level with me. A zig-zagging line appeared around its middle and darkened as the fracture in the shell grew deeper. _It's hatching!_ I thought to myself, pointing out the obvious. With a final loud crack, the two parts of the shell flew off and disappeared, revealing my very own Guardian Character.

My Guardian Character pretty much resembled me in physical appearance on a chibi scale, but her fashion sense deviated from mine a lot. She wore a short sleeved, white sailor blouse under a knee length, flouncy, button up black jumper skirt that ended just below the breast area. In addition, she sported black mary janes. She had a brown satchel draped over her torso. Shortly, I would learn my Guardian Character stored writing supplies in that satchel. For now, the only obvious sign of a writer I got a glimpse of was the pencil poised over the left ear.

"Hi, Sayaka, I'm Fumiko, your Guardian Character!" she greeted me with a huge smile and a wink. Before I could even react, she cheerily chanted, "From a not-so-literate girl to a literate one! Draft! Proof! Write! Character Change!"

_Oh, no, the infamous involuntary Character Change! _I thought with dismay. A similar type of pencil popped out of thin air to rest on my left ear along with a pad of paper in the hand holding the yoga mat. The mat dropped to the ground, forgotten. Unconsciously, I whipped out the pencil and began to furiously scribble a haiku poem on the pad as a sort of a short ode to Ikuto's violin writing. When I was done, I admired my work with approval.

"Quite well done, if I say so myself, on such short notice," I commented out loud in a voice full of confidence, quite unlike how I would usually react to anything I wrote.

The scariness of the self-assurance that this Character Change was forcing me to exhibit finally brought me to my senses, and the pencil and pad of paper vanished, leaving behind only the single page with the haiku fluttering to the ground. Fumiko's bright face didn't look the least bit recalcitrant as she swooped down to pick up the product of her quick bout of inspiration.

"Sayaka! Don't you love the haiku you wrote? I'm so glad I Character Chan-"

"I know _exactly_ what you did to me!" I thundered at Fumiko. "Don't do that again!"

For the first time since we'd met, she studied me with some concern, though her reply was thwarted by the interruption of a familiar bored voice.

"So your egg wasn't the embryo after all."

_Damn. _I'd momentarily forget about Ikuto. At some point, he'd reopened his eyes, noticed me, and quit playing his violin, the most likely reason for this last action being to observe my interaction with the egg in the hopes it was the embryo. Though his face reflected a detached interest in this new development, I could still discern a hint of intense disappointment in his eyes. Huh, whatever this embryo was, cat boy wanted it _bad_.

"I guess not," I agreed, tempted to ask Ikuto about this embryo and thought better of it. Somehow, having a heart-to-heart with Ikuto didn't seem like a valid option. He knew how to obscure his true intentions well.

Yoru soared over to my Guardian Character and inspected her curiously. To my embarrassment, Fumiko smiled shyly – yes, _shyly_, for there was no other word for the nature of her smile!

"Hi, I'm Fumiko. What's your name?" Fumiko inquired warmly. She extended a hand forward to Yoru, who, surprised at her gesture of goodwill, caught himself in time from taking the proffered hand, lest he look uncool, I imagined.

"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm Yoru, nya," the cat Guardian Character provided in a offish tone. Yep, the coolness factor had come into play.

"Interesting how you told me it's not my business to know your name, and you gave it to me anyway. I bet I'll grow on you yet!" Hmmm, Fumiko's voice held no sarcasm...I _did_ wish to be more thoughtful, playful, and confident in expressing myself, right? Thus, I got every mortification I deserved and then some with Fumiko for that stupid wish.

Yoru only looked amused at Fumiko's declaration. "What's that, nya?" he asked as if he were indulging a child, pointing at the paper in Fumiko's hands.

"A haiku. It's a type of poem. Sayaka did a great job on it!" Fumiko gushed with abandonment.

Unfortunately, a mischievous gleam shot into Yoru's eyes. "It's that special to you, nya?"

"Yes! It's her first work ever in Character Change with me!"

That last answer confirmed to Yoru how fun it would be to play his first game of trickery on Fumiko: snatch the poem and then gracefully elude my Guardian Character as she frantically pursued him.

"Don't get too comfortable there, Yoru," Ikuto advised, tearing me away from the two Guardian Characters' encounter.

Cat boy strolled over to a white violin case and kneeling down to gently – almost lovingly, I noted – place the instrument inside the case's velvet-lined interior.

Impulsively, I bounded up the rest of the stairs to seize a closer examination of his exquisite violin. "You're not going to play anymore?"

"No. Why would I? The song's over." His back to me, he closed the case lid and snapped the latches shut to firmly secure what I believed by now was his greatest personal treasure in the world.

"Stopping when you notice me here doesn't mean it's over," I pointed out, confused by his backpedaling when I assumed he wouldn't hesitate to be aggressive if need be.

"Well, it does to me. Your presence is irritating." Judging by Yoru and Fumiko's spirited yet friendly enough exchange off to the side, I wondered if it was possible for Guardian Characters to get along better than their respective owners did.

As Ikuto stood up again and faced me again, slinging the case over his shoulder by the strap, a lightbulb clicked on in my head. I almost didn't think it would be a good idea to start something, but I wasn't going to let a conversation end on a note where I was called "irritating." Plus, I wanted to show him that I could keep up in his little game of cat-and-mouse.

"Aaaahhh, I get it...you don't like to play in front of other people. I have no idea why you'd be so self-conscious, though. Your music is quite influential, even if your notes do sound depressingly sad. How do I know?"

I pointed to Fumiko, who was still engrossed with Yoru. She was waving the paper with the haiku on it, having successfully retrieved it from Yoru. Yoru, always acting like the cat he was, blissfully batted at the paper. The glazed expression of fascination with an improvised play toy had firmly entrenched itself on his face. Fleetingly, I wondered if Ikuto could be similarly provoked.

"Fumiko finally hatched because you impressed me so much with your talent and inspired me to want to improve on my own dream."

_Ikuto's music, of all things, just had to be the "something else" Kukai referred to, _I admitted ruefully.

For an instant, Ikuto's stoic mask slipped just a little, and I smugly witnessed his startlement as I felt my short speech hit the bullseye. The next moment, he safety ensconced himself back into his comfortable facade, a growing smirk the only indication of any affectation of emotion.

"How cute of you to compliment me...so much better than what you did to me the last time I saw you."

Flushing, I inwardly cringed at the mental image of the slap I'd administered to Ikuto's face. _No, he can't make me feel guilty, _I protested._ He totally deserved it._

"But, really, Sayaka, are you that much of a simple girl to be affected so easily by my music?" Ikuto continued, pleased by my flustered reaction.

"Whatever, then, forget I said anything," I mumbled, weary of this conversation. I was ready to walk away from Ikuto like I had from Hansuke, Kukai, and the others.

"You know, I think I will," Ikuto concurred casually, passing me to walk down the stairs back to the main path. "It was all nonsense anyway."

_Thanks for doing us both a favor by leaving,_ I thought coldly._ What a jerk! Insulting me after I went through the trouble of praising you!_

Simultaneously, cat boy flicked Yoru on the forehead with an index finger. Yoru had decided to pull a revenge prank on Fumiko by stealing her satchel and dangling it over her head while she laughingly chased after him. At being flicked, Yoru's momentary daze from the blow enabled Fumiko to reclaim the possession that was rightfully hers.

"Yoru, let's go," Ikuto prompted in a more forceful tone than I would've expected.

"Okay, Ikuto, nya!" Ironically, the rebellious Yoru acted nothing if not loyal and obedient to his own personal master, as evidenced by the cat Guardian Character quickly falling into line with Ikuto's retreating form.

Fumiko materialized by my side, ostentatiously fussing with her harried satchel. "That Yoru is a lot of fun! I like him!"

"Ugh!" I groaned at Fumiko. "Say it a little louder, will you!"

"Falling for my charms already, Fumiko, nya?" Yoru called over his shoulder, smirking as if he were the biggest playboy ever.

Abruptly, Ikuto halted, not turning around, but quietly announcing, "I've heard of your brother Hansuke at Easter. I'd be careful if I were you to not get him or yourself sucked into that place."

Immediately ensuing the delivery of such disturbing advice, he'd summoned forth the cat ears and tail, taking leaps and bounds that propelled him away from my sight, Yoru effortlessly matching cat boy's swift speed.

_What a confusing guy! _I screamed in my head._ Why would he make fun of me, then warn me to stay away from Easter?_


	5. Chapter 5: Ikuto

**Don't Bother Me**

**Author's Note:** Thanks for reviewing the last two chapters, Jae. To note, those who only read chapters 3 and 4 a while back, I changed a couple of things. In chapter 3, I added a small flashback scene for when Sayaka is on her balcony and wishes upon a shooting star for her wish to become a better writer; and then rewrote the dinner talk between Hansuke and Sayaka to include a direct question from Sayaka to Hansuke on whether or not Easter has a major project involving eggs, which Hansuke denies having this knowledge when, in fact, he acts like he's hiding something. In chapter 4, I added a character change with Fumiko that involves Sayaka writing a haiku in honor of Ikuto's violin playing. So sorry if I made things confusing, but I won't be doing extensive rewriting like that again.

All right, to begin another necessary paragraph. April 1 is the start of the school year in Japan, and going along with the flow of the manga, the time period was late March based on the yearly graduation exercises being done soon after the manga started. Amu, whose birthday is 9/24, had just entered fifth grade (age 11). By the end, Amu was about to enter seventh grade and thus approaching the age of 13. Since Ikuto's birthday is 12/1, he would've been 15, or a freshman in high school (Japan has only 3 years of high school), at the beginning, then be 17 going on 18 during the 2 years this manga took place. Sayaka's own birthday is on 4/1, so she already turned 13 due to the fact I skipped depicting the graduation ceremonies and went straight into seventh grade. When the story winds down 2 years later in the same month of March, she will be just shy of 15. I hope that bit of information helps.

**Chapter 5: Ikuto's POV**

Early morning sunlight filtered in to my room through the uncovered window opposite my twin bed. Next to my head on my pillow, a waking Yoru yawned lazily and stretched.

"I'm hungry, nya!" Yoru cried like a petulant child demanding attention with a whiny outburst. Cats could be _really_ annoying when they wanted food.

Sighing, I momentarily ignored Yoru and tossed aside the thin dark blue blanket covering my body, which was currently dressed in an oversized black t-shirt and loose black shorts. As I switched my sleep outfit for my black school uniform, continuing to tune out Yoru's noise clamoring for food I glanced out the window at the undeniably beautiful April morning. To be honest, the nice weather and its appeal to the possibility of experiencing a wide variety of activities was lost on me. I wasn't at my leisure to do whatever I wanted. Easter held me in its viselike grip and directed my actions like a damn puppet on a string.

My mind wandered to the commonplace things typical 15-year-old guy would have: how to ask that cute girl out, where to hang out with your friends on the weekend, when to squeeze in a cram session for an upcoming test. What was I? A loner teenage delinquent whose closest comrade was an imaginary would-be self that just happened to be an alley cat. Not that I'd voluntarily signed up for this life. Did I already mention I was a slave to Easter?

_Bitter much? _I asked myself, then my jaw clenched tightly as a mental image of my stepfather, the director at Easter, flashed briefly through my brain. _You bet your ass I am!_

Yoru immediately quieted down the instant I announced my goal of dropping by the usual convenience store for food. I was just in time, too, for nearing footsteps coming toward my door were accompanied by a soft-spoken voice calling out my name. No way did I feel like dealing with Okaa-san **[Okaa-san=mother]** at the moment or really at any point in time. Frankly, her sorrowful, resigned face hit home the reality of how miserable she was after Otou-san **[Otou-san=father] **walked out of our lives for refusing to work for Easter. I didn't want to add to my mother's suffering when my whole existence revolved around Easter. I wasn't some "normal" son with whom she could have a "normal" relationship. I was too busy atoning for the sins of my father.

"Let's go, Yoru."

In the blink of an eye, I character changed, opened the window, and hopped out to start my day.

& & &

Sometimes, I bothered to attend school, sometimes I didn't. I'd adopted this hit-and-miss approach just to piss off the director for wasting his money on an overpriced all-male prep school. Plus, I needed the time to contemplate my next move toward getting the embryo under the guise of obtaining it for Easter's own ends. Trust me, if you weren't three or four steps ahead of the competition at Easter skulking about for the embryo, you'd be promptly left behind.

"Are you going to school today, nya?" Yoru inquired me while following me out of the convenience store. Across the street was the idyllic park I like to spend time in away from the huge, ominous Easter skyscraper headquarters. The park's peaceful hold on me was too much for me to feel the guilt I should've felt in dutifully going to class.

"No," I decided, heading toward the park, plastic bag with food inside swinging from my right hand.

A few minutes later, I was stretched out on my back on a small hill near a gazebo I preferred to play my violin at. A bag of ginger snaps had been opened and laid within reaching distance for occasional nibbling. Yoru gleefully attacked his can of sardines. I, on the other hand, quietly chewed on my confectionery treat while I drew myself into deep contemplation.

Two words immediately leapt to mind: Takeda Sayaka. What a weird girl. She was someone I'd accidentally come across about two weeks ago after Yoru played a trick on her. Hell, Yoru did stuff like that all the time, yet people usually didn't see the source of the pranks. This time, however, Yoru had ensnared a kid who _could_ see Guardian Characters, and she was even angry he wouldn't tell her what Guardian Characters were.

Initially, I assumed the encounter would be an brief one: smell her for a whiff of that familiar Character birth smell, search her for the egg, and run away with it. Step one of the three step process went awry as I couldn't discern _any _trace of the scent of Character birth. Next, a boy whom I recognized as one of Seiyo Academy's Royal Guardians rushed to Sayaka's rescue. Disappointed but still intrigued, I pretended to escape with intentions settled on elsewhere and trailed the pair back to what I presumed was Sayaka's apartment.

Sayaka didn't live far from the location our meeting took place. She invited in the Guardian – Kukai was his name, I guessed, because he'd become friends with Tadase recently. I settled myself into a crook of one of the trees shading the cream colored two-story apartment building and waited patiently for my chance. I could see the two of them start to make dinner for themselves in the kitchen through the apartment's one window, so I quickly focused on the other part apartment that was visible to me: a balcony off of one of the bedrooms.

Presumably, this room belonged to Sayaka due to all the posters of young, female gymnasts, most likely famous, plastered on the walls. Other than that, the room in question seemed quite austere for a girl her age. A mat of soft straw rush covered the wooden floor. Near the closed bedroom door, a rolled up futon lay resting against a cupboard where her clothes must be stored. On the opposite side of the room next to the balcony, a western-style wooden desk and chair combo stood adjacent to a huge, wide wooden bookcase jammed with books.

At last, amongst the paperwork strewn on the desk, was a small white egg. I sensed imminent success in capturing this egg, although I didn't understand why I still couldn't sense it itself! Why couldn't I? Strangest of all was how plain the egg was, compared to others I'd come across. Even Yoru's egg, for as unembellished as it was, was in basic black with a white zigzag stripe across the center of the egg. Within the stripe was infused the imprint of a cat's paw print.

Mentally putting aside this oddity for the moment, I swiftly let myself in to the room, marking the carelessly unlocked balcony door, and turned to my left toward the desk. Yoru beat me in grabbing up the egg, but our luck finally ran out as Sayaka herself burst into the room with Kukai on her heels. Once again, I had to retreat, wondering the whole time if this girl really had the embryo. Unfortunately, the damn director distracted me from pursuing the matter with his other embryo schemers at Easter and cleaning up their messes. The whole matter frustrated me.

Last Sunday, Sayaka and I met up again (yes, by coincidence) at the park where I was playing at the gazebo that I was also currently lying nearby. Sayaka's egg finally hatched into a writer type of Guardian Character. According to Sayaka's reasoning, my _music_ had've been the impetus to draw forth her egg's hatching. While I outwardly dismissed her theory, inwardly I understood how sharp and perceptive this kid was...until I provoked her strong temper streak. That advantage had served me quite well in deflecting her from actually comprehending that my violin music really could be _literally_ influential...

Afterwards, I could miraculously sense her Guardian Character Fumiko, as if Sayaka and/or Fumiko had given me _permission_ to do so. Why? How was such a thing possible? Mostly likely the cloaking ability was subconscious with some kind of catalyst that would then allow other bearers of Guardian Characters to finally be able to track Sayaka and Fumiko. Luckily, no one else seemed to notice yet, neither the Guardians or Easter. What a great weapon she would be for either side.

The only remaining issue was which side would Sayaka would choose. Things would be nice and tidy if she came to her brother at Easter. I was loathe for that path to be taken, considering how well it turned out for my own family. I even warned Sayaka against such a fate right before leaving her last time we met. On the other hand, she was a little too old to join the Guardians, a group hand-offs for Easter to exploit, so she was probably beyond the influence of that Amakawa Tsukasa...

After that thought, I allowed drowsiness to pull me down into a deep cat nap. Yoru was already asleep.

& & &

Loud voices and hurried footsteps off to the side on the main path woke me up. Glancing up with a hand shielding my eyes, I noted the sun had made considerable process over the sky. It was probably late afternoon, right after school should've end. When I sat up and peered through the bushes at who was running down the main path, I spied Sayaka dashing by me, Kukai at her side, their two Guardian Characters hurrying along beside them. Kukai wore some white soccer uniform, while Sayaka was dressed in a pastel pink leotard, tights, and ballerina slippers, quite the change from her tomboy baggy jeans and t-shirt. Huh, this girl's body definitely had far more shape than I gave her credit for. The change in attire also explained the existence of the gymnasts' posters in her room. She must've practiced some kind of gymnastics.

"Kukai, why did you ambush me at practice? I thought you said I could go whenever I wanted! Fumiko isn't going anywhere!" Sayaka protested.

"You've put it off so long now that even the King is asking for you. As his Jack, I can't refuse!" Kukai excused, though the apparent smile on his face showed no obvious remorse. "Hurry up! You're losing the running contest. I'll make you do 50 laps around the track if you lose to me!"

A smile of my own grew on my face at the two rapidly disappearing figures. So she was on her way to the Royal Garden at Seiyo Academy on Tadase's orders. How long had it been since I'd seen Tadase? Causing chaos in the wake of a newcomer would be the perfect excuse to drop by.

"Yoru, get up," I commanded the stirring Guardian Character.

"What is it, Ikuto? I was having a good time chasing birds in my dreams, nya."

"You could do something even better. For real. It's time to crash a Royal Tea Party."

Yoru instantly understood my meaning and grinned with anticipation.

**Author's Note:** Question: Should the next chapter be in Sayaka or Ikuto's point of view? I don't do POV switching in one chapter, though, too confusing. Either way, I can't wait to introduce the Guardians. Utau, Kairi, and Rima come soon, I promise!


	6. Chapter 6: Sayaka

**Title: Don't Bother Me**

**Author's Note:** I actually like Tadase, to which I may be one of the few firmly entrenched Amu/Ikuto shippers who would admit that openly. He's been given a bad rap by some people, and I know, having initially dismissed him myself, but Peach Pit came through in the end, especially based on the last couple of chapters in the manga. Thus, out of respect for Tadase, he will have his OWN role within my story, not as a love interest. Even though I still like Tadase, I'll be frank: Amu/Ikuto/Tadase has got to be one of the strangest love triangles I've ever read or watched about in anime. I just can't do one like it in my fanfic, and honestly, I don't like to write love triangles anyway as someone's just going to get hurt in the end.

What else? I admit to confessing a secret love of Nagi and Rima, am Nagi/Rima all the way, no one can change my mind on that one. Their Queen's Waltz was so cute! Same thing with Kukai/Utau. Energetic Kukai can handle Utau's intense competitiveness very nicely. Two great pairings, and I WILL promote them. As for Yaya and Kairi, I like them individually, but I can't say I'm for any particular pairing with either of them, and contrary to popular notion, not everyone has to get together with someone. They're also the youngest, and they can wait...

One last thing: I've been watching and reading _Kaze No Stigma. _Yay, more pervy inspiration for writing about Ikuto...I think many people would like the story if they wanted to look it up. The three main characters are very appealing and helped me in my ongoing personality sketching for both Hansuke and Sayaka.

Next chapter is another Ikuto one! Thanks for reviewing, kaaayyytteee! I hope I continue to write Ikuto in-character as best I can.

**Chapter Six**

Finally, this long overdue moment had come crashing down on me with considerable force: the meeting with the Guardians. So why did its arrival _have_ to turn out as it did? Why did Kukai practically _kidnap_ me from practice, much to the annoyance of my rhythmic gymnastics club? I didn't care if Hotori Tadase-san, the King of the Guardians, had issued an order to Kukai to pick me up and see me on demand that day. We'd already agreed to convene together right _after_ my practice was over at six o'clock that night. Yes, late for them, yet the group seemed to be interested enough in me to want to inconvenience themselves for my sake. After all, I figured this active solicitation was to only be expected as Seiyo Academy's student council extending help toward a recent former student.

As I neared the school gates with Kukai, I once again drank in the larger-than-life quality about my old school. Most likely, the reason behind its formidable atmosphere could be traced to the decidedly castle-like design of the six story, peach colored main building, complete with a huge domed planetarium in the back almost hidden in the school's extensive grounds even after one took into consideration the wonderfully robust athletic facilities hogging a large portion of available space. Off to side, a similarly castle shaped greenhouse called the Royal Garden crouched like a faithful retainer to the school. Every student here knew that the Guardians held their "secret" meetings on student council matters in that Royal Garden.

How could I afford to attend this very prestigious private school after describing its numerous expensive features? Thanks to Amakawa Tsukasa-san's generous assistance in the form of a scholarship for the last two years of elementary school, I didn't have to worry about tuition. The principal of Seiyo Academy had somehow heard of my difficult financial situation with Hansuke following our parents' passing on and leaving us with very little to live on. At first, we protested out of pride and wondered how in the hell had this relative stranger known such a closely guarded secret. We'd both worked hard to always be on time with the monthly payments, although the time where we would've needed to humble ourselves before other family members was swiftly approaching. To be fair, Amakawa-san did stipulate I would need to accept the scholarship in return for playing competitively with the rhythmic gymnastics club. In the end, the arrangement worked out well, but I decided a less expensive public school would be more appropriate for middle school instead of attending Seiyo Academy's version.

The answer as to why I'd been so summarily summoned by Hotori-san appeared in my line of sight as soon as I walked with Kukai behind me in to the Royal Garden, where, sure enough, a colorful flower garden thrived and even a small fountain somehow got snuck in. It was Hotori-san himself, the vertically challenged (only 5'1"), cute, and femininely attractive boy whom numerous lovestruck fangirls constantly confessed to. In proper Shoujo manga style, elaborately styled blond hair with a thin ahoge covered his head below a tiny golden crown that I knew from personal experience did _not_ belong there in a normal situation. His red-violet eyes flashed with a far different attitude than the semi shy politeness he usually displayed to everyone. Yet another indication things weren't quite right: he pointed a golden scepter at me angrily from a short distance away and succeeded in unnerving me a little, a feat hard for the quite agreeable and likeable Hotori-san to accomplish very often. Impressive, especially since he'd managed to tackle this task all while still in his decidedly nonthreatening boy's school outfit for Seiyo Academy: blue Tartan shorts, black blazer, blue tie, and white shirt. The slightly goofy yet highly coveted blue Tartan cape for male Guardians had been transformed into something, well, kingly.

"You, commoner! How dare you keep me waiting! What took so long?" Hotori-san thundered at me. I cast a sidelong glance in Kukai's direction. My best friend had moved to my right, smiling the whole time as if this behavior was totally normal, thereby significantly upping the annoyance that had already begun its slow climb within me.

A tiny voice boomed from next to Hotori-san: "Answer Tadase like a good and loyal subject should! I, Kiseki, cannot allow Tadase's subjects to withhold information from him."

_Oh, it's Hotori-san's Guardian Character, _I realized, staring with interest at the regal little figure that had just appeared from behind Hotori-san. Kiseki wore a frilly blue shirt and pants, a fur-lined red cape was draped on his back, and a golden crown sat atop a royal purple head that was styled similarly to his owner's. His eyes were a striking blue, burning with indignation at my not having instantly responded to his owner, at last causing me to comprehend the obvious source of this strange personality alteration in Hotori-san.

Most likely, telling the simple, straightforward truth would be the best method to diffuse the Character Change that Hotori-san had undergone. So Hotori-san wanted to be a domineering, selfish king as he would be self, eh? "I go to another school, so we had to walk a little to get here." I turned to Kukai, dimly wondering how Hotori-san had been "provoked," adding with smug satisfaction as a way of taking advantage of the situation in order to extract my revenge against Kukai: "I won the running contest. When this meeting is over, you have to return to my school to retrieve my things for me."

"We can't have discontented new subjects, can we? Too troublesome," Hotori-san's Guardian Character remarked as if he really _did_ have subjects to please. Guardian Characters really went whole hog when it concerned acting out their roles, huh?

"Yes, good advice, Kiseki, Souma-kun can take care of Takeda-san because I order him to as my Jack," Hotori-san indicated with ease, sweeping a hand toward me as a way of signifying the dismissal of the topic. I was very pleased with this intervention and remembered Kukai informing me of the Jack's main purpose: to serve his King faithfully.

To my rising irritation, Kukai simply widened the already broad smile stretching his face and stepped over toward the large, round, white table with five matching chairs surrounding it couched in the center of the lush garden's smooth marble floor. On top of the table rested – no kidding - the full complements of a tea party. _Wow, aren't these bad-ass kids just up to no good in their meetings, _I thought with a suppressed grin, then started when I once again came into a belated conclusion. _Where is everyone else?_

As if Fumiko was reading my mind – who knew, maybe she could as my would be self – voiced my question aloud rather cheerfully. I still couldn't become accustomed to the sheer _oneness_ of Fumiko's personality in both her thoughts and actions. How would you like _your_ secret innermost hopes and dreams plainly broadcast to anyone with a Guardian Character?

"Where is everyone else? Aren't there four Guardians? I can't wait to meet you all!"

"Yeah, I was wondering the same thing, too, Fumiko," Daichi echoed.

Great, weren't the two Guardian Characters just regular telepaths today? Like Yoru, Daichi had instantly gotten along with Fumiko, although my reaction to Daichi's liking Fumiko wasn't colored with as much surprise as it had been with Yoru and Fumiko's unlikely rapport. Would she leave a favorable impression with the other Guardian Characters she'd be presented to?

"We're here!" a soft, pleasant female voice announced behind us, the sudden words startling Hotori-san enough to lose the scepter and crown, the symbols of his Character Change. He simply looked embarrassed at his regal, high-handed display of power. "I had to grab my scones from the Home Economics classroom."

The six of us whirled around to confront the last of the Guardians to show up. There they stood framing the doorway, two Guardian Characters at one side of each girl. Naturally, like Hotori-san, I was casually acquainted with them through Kukai long enough to remember their names: Fujisaki Nadeshiko-san, the Queen of the Guardians, and Yuiki Yaya-san, the Ace of the Guardians. Both girls, Yuiki-san being the noticeably shorter than Fujisaki-san's 5'4", the same height as Kukai, wore the female version of the Seiyo Academy uniform: red Tartan skirt, black blazer, red tie, white shirt, along with the equally distinctive red Tartan cape for female Guardians.

Of course, individual preferences took command to provide our eyes with customization among the homogenous quality of the Fujisaki-san's long, flowing dark purple hair tied up in a swinging ponytail had been secured by a red ribbon with sakura flower ends. Her golden honey eyes lingered proudly on the platter of scones in her hands. Yuiki-san's orangish brown hair had been drawn back in pigtails with big red ribbons. Her brown eyes hungrily drank in the appealing scones.

Fujisaki-san's Guardian Character was robed in a pink traditional Japanese kimono, complete with wide hanging sleeves just like a beautiful royal princess. Her violet hair, also a ponytail held back by two pink sakura flowers, the violet eyes carefully watching our odd assortment of a group from above the huge kimono sleeves held to her face by the hands underneath the cloth. _How odd, _I thought quizzically. _It's as if she's trying to be secretive or mysterious with that gesture._

Yuiki-san's Guardian Character was rather baby-looking, much to my amused self, given how...immature she could be from the few times I'd met her. Unlike the fifth graders Hotori-san and Fujisaki-san and sixth grader Kukai, Yuiki-san was only a fourth grader, and this year had been her first as a Guardian, whereas Hotori-san, Kukai, and Fujisaki-san already had at least one year under theirs belts.

The baby Guardian Character had darkish orange-brown hair in two pigtails like Yuiki-san's. Dressed in a get-up consisting of a pink, long-sleeved onesie with feet, a white bib, and a pink and white hat with bunny ears, and a big red bow on the left side, she completed the look by sucking on a yellow pacifier in her mouth.

"Hello, Takeda-san, I see you've already met Kiseki and Daichi," Fujisaki-san called and moved forward with her companion Yuiki-san and their two Guardian Characters. In fact, Fujisaki-san _glided_ across the garden, a suppleness no doubt acquired from her years of learning from her mother how to do Japanese traditional dances in intricately beautiful ceremonial garb, and this pastime no doubt explained the presence of her graceful Guardian Character.

"Sayaka-chan, you're early!" Yuiki-san exclaimed with a noticeable childish enthusiasm. Nope, no mystery about why she had a baby would be self. At least no one would be bringing up my kidnapping in great detail.

I also couldn't seem to shake the exasperating, cutesy honorific of "chan." Really, the only person here whom I could justifiably address on a first name basis would obviously be Kukai, and bluntly, "chan" is not something I _ever_ used. It was either just the first name, or the standard, always safe "san" with last name combo for those I didn't feel as comfortable being that familiar with. Ikuto was probably the new exception to my current honorifics policy. Not only did _still_ I not know his last name, I wasn't going to deign to acknowledge his existence with any semblance of politeness between us by utilizing "san." I wanted to convey insult, not closeness.

"Please, Yuiki-san, Sayaka is fine by itself." I guessed Yuiki-san would be the next allowance just by utter wearisomeness of the "Sayaka-chan" bombardment and then finally doing something about the situation.

"Okay...Sayaka." Yuiki-san's voice trailed off as the slight disappointment registered on her face. She absolutely loved her little pet honorifics for anyone she could get to go along with her scheme, but brightened abruptly at realizing she could ask the same privilege of me: "Will you call me Yaya?"

A simple, automatic "sure" was all that leaked out of my mouth. Better to nip the problem in the bud with an acceptable compromise now rather than later.

Meanwhile, upon Fujisaki-san placing the tray of wonderful smelling scones on the table, the four Guardians and I had seated ourselves. I glanced at each of the four in front of me. The Guardians were popular because of the prestige of being a Guardian, so many rumors abounded about what they were actually like. Through Kukai, I encountered the Guardians once in a while and interacted with them, thus rendering my image of them into a more human frame of mind.

"As Fujisaki-san said, Takeda-san has been introduced to both Daichi and Kiseki," a properly reined in and recovered Hotori-san recapped matter-of-factly as we dug in to the scones and tea. I supposed he was in charge of the meetings because of his position as King. "Let's have Fujisaki-san and Yuiki-san each take a turn introducing Takeda-san their Guardian Characters."

"Takeda-san, this is Temari," Fujisaki-san chimed in, pointing at her Guardian Character, who winked at Fumiko and I.

"Sayaka, this is Pepe-tan," Yaya concluded the greetings as Pepe waved a hand smilingly our way. Yep, Yaya had whipped out another cutesy honorific.

"Pleased to meet all of you! I'm Fumiko!" my Guardian Character burst out before Hotori-san could steer the conversation toward her direction. For lack of a better reaction, my face reddened, and I cast my vision downward toward my lap.

"Could it be that Takeda-san is really shy, even after all those stories we've heard about her from Souma-kun?" Fujisaki-san dared to speculate ensuing a fairly uncomfortable lull.

If I was going to save any lingering shred of self-dignity, I would wait to compose myself before confronting the apparently amused Fujisaki-san about taking liberties with what my reputation actually consisted of. Kukai had the good grace to not laugh at me. I could be violent if need be.

A _thump_, the kind of noise where you know something not good is coming your way, filled my ears. "Yes, Sayaka is very shy, and I would know," a smooth, cool voice agreed with Fujisaki-san. This time, I _knew_ I didn't have any desire to look back up.

It was Ikuto.

Some scrap of a chair occurred, and Hotori-san hollered, "Tsukiyomi Ikuto!"

So Ikuto did have a last name after all.


	7. Chapter 7: Ikuto

**Don't Bother Me**

**Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews, Jae, and rin03. rin03, thanks for the question regarding if there are more Guardian Characters for Sayaka in the future. I'll be honest and say that multiple Guardian Characters are usually a source of automatic Mary Sueness, which is what I want to shy away from. I don't plan on any more except for **maybe** one that would be part of the Utau stealing Dia arc, though this Guardian Character would be born of a different wish other than Amu wishing to be an idol. Yes, I already have an idea, but I still haven't decided if it'll be used yet since, trust me, this Guardian Character would result from a sort of tragic flaw in Sayaka's heart and provide awesome character development. Thanks for hearing out my initial ideas, Jae. rin03, at any rate, I hope this response answered your question adequately. I really tried to design Fumiko with enough flexibility to be a great Guardian Character on her own. After all, Ikuto has only Yoru, and we all know Yoru is amazing.

I had fun writing this chapter, even if it was hard in some places. Obviously, Ikuto's a mysterious character to write. In real life, I'm the oldest in my family, so I can relate to protective Ikuto on that level. On the other hand, Sayaka is the youngest, and portraying someone like Ikuto to Sayaka is a little difficult, even though I'm a little bit of a pervert like him. However, did I mention that Ikuto just simply winking in the opening anime series is about the best summary than can be given about him? No? Well, watch the earliest opening for the anime series and you'll see what I mean. He's totally at his best there, compared with subsequent opening series openings.

I'm not sure if I'll be doing another Ikuto POV for the next couple of chapters just because I want to delve more into Hansuke's role within Easter and thus advance this story. Things should move a little quicker now...

**Chapter Seven**

Smirking, I thoroughly enjoyed everyone's shocked reaction to my dropping in unexpectedly. Teasing and unpredictability were my forte since, in a way, it was my coping mechanism for dealing with the gravity of my world. A bunch of gullible grade schoolers were the _perfect _targets, especially Tadase, as he and I had a great deal of history together earlier in our lives. I hadn't directly confronted Tadase in a while, preferring to watch him quietly from afar and take careful note of the people in his life, all the more so since he'd became a Guardian and thus my official enemy. Fortunately, he seemed to be faring well. In fact, I felt quite reassured at witnessing Tadase's hostile reaction toward me. Yes, he still wanted to stay away from me...the "Black Cat of Misfortune."

For the past ten minutes, Yoru and I had managed to remain hidden aloft in the trees near the Royal Garden while simultaneously moving closer and closer to obtain a good view of the action inside. Finally, I landed nimbly on the roof of the greenhouse and listened to the Royal Guardians' chatter for an appropriate opportunity to make an entrance. Sayaka's being accused of acting shy was just right...so easy...to drop down to the floor through an already open glass panel in the side of the greenhouse and simply declare, "Yes, Sayaka is very shy, and I would know."

"What are _you_ doing here, Tsukiyomi Ikuto?" Tadase snapped at me after jumping up and yelling my name once already, he and Kiseki practically bristling like, well, cats do when threatened. If only Tadase could realize the subtle irony of my silent observation...

"To have some fun, of course, nya!" Yoru announced gleefully, eyeing the other peeved Guardian Characters with a mischievous smile. Count on my loud Guardian Character to speak the obvious for me. Sometimes, he got me into trouble a little too much for my liking, at least even without the contributions I already made.

Nadeshiko's eyes narrowed at me in a dangerous way. "Why would you know if Takeda-san is shy or not?"

_Damn, I'd better watch myself when that girl character changes,_ I noted to myself with a little uncharacteristic cringe welling up inside me, but the attention in the room swiftly centered on a frowning Kukai and an outright scowling Sayaka staring right at me. Daichi and Fumiko appeared to be just as troubled by Nadeshiko's question. In the growing tense stillness, everyone else in the room began to slowly yet surely suspect the same answer as those four did.

Not surprisingly, the babyishly crestfallen Yaya vocalized the rather obvious conclusion while her Guardian Character shook her head disapprovingly. "Ikuto tried to steal Fumiko before she hatched? How mean!"

"Souma-kun, why didn't you tell us this before?" Tadase demanded forcefully. All the while, he and Nadeshiko along with their Guardian Characters wore twin expressions of desperation to character change and whip my ass.

As Kukai briefly protested that he'd planned on bringing up the subject today, I couldn't help noticing Sayaka's furtive glance at Kukai's guilty expression and the subsequent hint of an equally guilty blush spreading over the cheeks of her face. _So Sayaka hasn't told anyone about her meeting with me in the park, not even Kukai, _I realized, considering the enormous potential of revealing this fact to the group, and quickly shed that idea. If anyone knew anything about keeping one's council for one's own reasons, that person was obviously me.

Meanwhile, Kiseki bellowed at Yoru: "You thieving cat, targeting a newborn servant is against the rules!"

"Always with the rules, Kiseki. You're boring me, nya." Yoru glanced smugly at each of the other angry Guardian Characters, his paws casually draped behind his back, finally resting his eyes on Fumiko. "Wanna play, Fumiko? We got along together _so_ well the last time we met, nya."

Fumiko's brows drew together in suspicion before a wide smile broke out on her lips. "Why, sure, Yoru," she agreed with a geniality that aroused my own naturally wary nature.

Startled, Sayaka swiftly scanned Fumiko's face for any meaning behind her Guardian Character's unexpected reaction. Just because Fumiko's character was that of a spirited, honest would be self didn't mean that she couldn't be as underhandedly devious as Nadeshiko's creepy Temari. _I think I've worn out my welcome,_ I thought sarcastically.

Within seconds, all hell broke loose. A black fountain pen appeared above Sayaka's left ear, and she whipped it out, yelling, "Ink shot!"

A stream of blank ink flew at me from the pen, landing harmlessly in the bushes behind me as I narrowly dodged the projectile. Simultaneously, two sakura pins materialized on Nadeshiko's ponytail, her character having turned into a combative one with a naginata to brandish and a harsh voice to command, while Tadase's specter and crown emerged. As for Kukai, Daichi, Yaya, and Pepe, those four couldn't seem to decide if they wanted to join in on the character change parade.

"I'll kick your ass, Ikuto!" Sayaka challenged me, and Kukai grinned in response, apparently enjoying the tough girl routine. Yaya gasped at the use of "ass," and that sharp intake of air gave me an idea for a good comeback.

"I never commented on this matter before, but you have a foul mouth for a girl your age, Sayaka."

"Leave, Tsukiyomi Ikuto!" Tadase growled, effectively swallowing back the retort hanging off of Sayaka's lips. You know, using my whole name all the time was starting to become a little annoying...

Nadeshiko aimed her spear at me menacingly as she cautioned, "Get out of here, cat! I don't want to ruin my scones if I have to fight you!"

"No! I don't want Nadeshiko's scones destroyed!" Yaya gasped as if the butchering of scones were the worst thing that could happen in the world.

"Is this clashing _really_ necessary? Can't we talk like civilized, grown up people?" I lightly protested, smirking directly at Tadase. "After all, you keeping getting taller and more like an adult every time I see you, Tadase. Shouldn't you act more grown up so you deserve to be treated with maturity instead of the Kiddy King you are?"

"Shut up, cat!"

An amused voice interrupted from the doorway: "Long time no see, Ikuto-kun." Jeez, how many more people were slated to make an appearance here? I didn't need the attentive stares from the grade schoolers upon their discovery that Tsukasa and I knew each other – well, except for Tadase, of course, and possibly his little servant Jack Kukai. "I'm pleased you came here this time."

I didn't have to turn around to know the voice belonged to one Amakawa Tsukasa. Even for being relatives, he and Tadase were extraordinarily alike - maybe it was in Tsukasa's subtle, seemingly unassuming demeanor, or maybe it had to do with his looks – Tsukasa even wore his sandy blond hair in a fashion similar to Tadase's. Seiyo Academy's principal sported light violet eyes always flashing with good-natured delight. I knew the act was a cover for hiding his inner mysterious and contemplative nature even better than I could conceal my true intentions with my stoic identity, and that was saying a lot. Finally, a simple outer look completed this illusion: a white, tucked in nehru jacket and white, belted slacks.

"Don't look too much into my visit here," I refuted cooly, whirling and nodding toward the group standoff across from me. "Tadase is merely leading another one of his parades with his loyal followers. I'll leave him to it."

_Oh, shit,_ I inwardly cursed the moment I saw what Tsukasa's hand: catnip. The man had a weird love of cats and liked to carry around cat toys and food whenever he knew when I was hanging around the school and watching Tadase. Considering how...enigmatic Tsukasa was, I knew he had some method of tracking everyone's movements through his very accurate fortune telling. It had ultimately been Tsukasa who ended up being the main authority as to how I came into knowledge of the Humpty Lock and Dumpty Key...

"Hey, I wanna play, nya!" Yoru cried with abandonment as he floated up to Tsukasa, his eyes glued to the catnip as he patted at it a little. "Don't you wanna play, too, Ikuto, nya?"

Yaya giggled behind her hands, while the rest of the slightly taken aback assemblage tried not react as strongly as the young girl did. Abruptly, though, Sayaka's strained face cracked into a disbelieving look.

"I _knew_ you could be provoked with cat stuff, Ikuto!" Sayaka accused me, but I didn't bother to affirm or deny it aloud. Why take the time to point out the obvious, especially when the obvious was embarrassing?

"Ikuto-kun, as entertaining as this scene could be, I believe it's best we say good-bye for now. The gates to the school close as soon as the Guardians' special meeting is over. If you don't want to spend the weekend here, I'd suggest you get going."

_Like a gate has kept me out of the school so far,_ I silently replied as I brandished a devilish smile before letting my gaze wander to the open window pane in the approaching twilight.

"Later, Tadase," I called from my escape route after I'd character changed and jumped neatly to the window pane. He simply glared at me with intense dislike, along with everyone else, except for Tsukasa. Much as Yoru wanted to instinctually remain with the enticing catnip, he reluctantly followed me when he realized nothing else fun could be gleaned from this joint.

For some reason, I felt compelled to add, if nothing else, for the sake of her brave show of spirit, given how shy she was earlier: "You, too, Sayaka. Later."

"Isn't he the worst?" Sayaka complained loudly as I leapt safely away. "I need to join your little student council just to learn how to kick that cat boy's ass!"

"Sayaka!" Yaya gasped as I heard Kukai's thundering laugh of enjoyment, Tsuaksa-kun also laughing even as I knew the man had been frowning thoughtfully as if trying to figure out something. What was he planning? It would be just like him to give someone in that group the currently unused Humpty Lock in an effort to be contrary.

**Author's Note:** You know, I rewatched episodes 1-25 of the first season, and I just realized that Nagi is a very underrated match for Amu. I think they'd be great together just because they seem to get along with each other so naturally as good friends. The only reason why I have to question the validity of the the match, though, is the fact that he can't bring himself to tell his ultimate secret to her. I guess that's why I'm more of a Rima/Nagi person, because Rima already knows and accepts the duality of his nature.


	8. Chapter 8: Sayaka

**Title: Don't Bother Me**

**Author's Note:** Well, life happens, and I had to find a new job that I started on Tuesday, June 22, a sure sign of the crappy US economy since I got laid off in early May. That's right, people, I'm an adult with life constantly going on. This story is probably the one that I'm most interested in updating on a regular basis, though. I'm still doing my best to update the other stories except for "Set Me Free." On that note then, I'll do my best to update twice a month. Furthermore, I don't compromise on quality. I only deliver chapters I believe will do well. Rest assured of that shit. If you don't like strong language or sexual innuendo, click away now! However, if you like non-explicit yet provocative quality, you've come to the right place in your off time! I firmly believe in personally being responsible for any material I release. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, review! I promise you that if you review my story, your suggestions WILL perform in the interactive sense and thus significantly improve YOUR experience here, no matter what you or I expect in responsive performance.

One last announcement before things get started: ARRRGGGHHH! *bangs head on keyboard in frustration* The incredibly childish and dumbed down Shugo Chara Party! has stunk something horrible in all of its entirety till the series' very bitter end on March 26. Ikuto briefly returned after being gone all this time searching for his father. Overall, the episode fared better since the Mary Sue Rikka wasn't hogging all the airtime. However, I was a bit annoyed at the whole "gotta insert a random Tadase moment." Thanks a bunch, Satelight. Obviously, the anime material really strayed from the manga after the Ikuto arc ended. I guess I can't get everything I want, except when it came to Peach-Pit's response to making the manga's end Ikuto/Amo-centric. Peach-Pit, I totally respect your decision to make your manga what it is, the anime Tadase-based. Yes, that's how it goes, no matter who you are.

**Chapter Eight**

No, I didn't actually join the Guardians just to learn how to kick Ikuto's ass, but the group of younger kids really helped me out with any remaining questions I had about Guardian Characters, chiefly concerning what the embryo was. I even flipped through the fabled book called _The Heart's Egg _upon Amakawa-san providing it to me after we'd chased that damn cat boy away. Unfortunately, the ending was missing, the jagged edges of the torn out page protruding from the book's binding and serving as the only firm evidence of its existence.

Finally, I learned what why a lot of people coveted this stupid embryo. _Who _wouldn't _want a special Heart's Egg that contains the ability to grant anyone's wish? So what does Ikuto want specifically given to him, or for that matter, what does Easter stand to gain from capturing the embryo? _I wondered, and that question charged through my mind with respect to everyone in the Royal Garden with me. As for myself, I couldn't really even begin to process the idea of a magical, mystical embryo, much less formulate a secret, almost seemingly impossible, dream that I yearned to gratify by wishing upon the embryo.

Soon after I came into this bit of intelligence, the Guardians excused themselves when Amakawa-san indicated that he'd like to speak with me privately. True to his word, Kukai hightailed it out of Seiyo Academy and headed to my own school to retrieve my backpack and street clothes.

The moment we were alone, my former principal pulled a deck of tarot cards from his jacket pocket, expertly spread the cards face down before me in a wide arc on the table, and compelled me with a slight smile: "Pick a card."

Confused as hell but nonetheless curious about the direction this conversation would take, I obediently reached out and selected a card somewhere toward the middle. As I flipped it over, a young man in gorgeous, colorful vestments confronted my eyes. Under a brilliantly glowing sun, the young man had paused at the brink of a precipice among a mountainous background, a small bag of belongings slung over his shoulder on a stick clutched in one hand and holding a white flower in the other. A small dog with white fur bounded right behind him. At the bottom, emblazoned in simple black, block letters were the words "The Fool."

"How appropriate," I remarked dryly, smiling up at Amakawa-san's expectant face. "I was born on April Fool's Day."

"I think there's more meaning to the card than just a reference to your birthday," Amakawa-san countered, and I couldn't argue with him in this case. He was the fortuneteller, not me. "One interpretation of this card is that one should initiate action where the circumstances are unknown, confronting one's fears, taking risks, and so on."

_Hmmm...is this reading advising me should I take on Easter even in spite my ignorance about their intentions?_ I subconsciously wondered, then shook myself from my speculation. I was getting far too caught up into this exercise in futility. Sure, having your fortune told is fun, yet everyone knows you can't seriously base your future on the information that the reading yielded.

"Initiate action where the circumstances are unknown? Confront one's fears, take risks, and so on?" Fumiko, who'd been leaning forward over my right shoulder to watch the progress of the reading, grinned with amusement at me. "Aren't those actions only ones that, say, a _fool_ would dare perform, huh, Sayaka? I mean, the poor young man on the card is about to walk off a cliff and doesn't even seem to care."

"Fumiko, knock it off," I warned her, shooing her away, though my Guardian Character stuck her tongue out at me in retaliation. Turning my attention back to Amakawa-san, I inquired with much politeness, something quite contrary to my inherently casual nature unless absolute circumstances forced me to take the high road: "I don't intend to sound rude, but I'm wondering: what's the point of doing a reading on me?"

As could be expected, Amakawa-san simply smiled, regarding me thoughtfully, before at last replying: "I did the reading as a sort of a confirmation for myself in regards to giving you 'something special'."

"Uh...'something special'?" I stammered, at a loss for words. Sure, it wasn't unheard of for students to bestow teachers with a gift as a way of thanking their educators, although I would say the other way around didn't normally occur. Besides, Amakawa-san functioned as the principal of a school I didn't even attend anymore. What obligation did we have to each other to be exchanging presents?

From another jacket pocket, Amakawa-san withdrew an egg shaped white case with golden wingtips on either side. Before I could properly react, Seiyo Academy's principal opened the case by way of a crack around the case's middle, similar to that of the crack that formed on Fumiko's egg when she initially hatched. Inside the egg rested a beautiful, sparkly gold lock hanging from a long, delicate gold chain, effectively rendering it an amuletlike quality. Except for its smooth back, the majority of the lock's front was dominated by four hearts interlocked with each other and clustered around the lock's keyhole.

"What's this thing?" I asked, breathless at the sight and mentally agreeing with Amakawa-san about the lock being "something special." Not that I would actually be vocalizing my admiration anytime soon.

On the other hand, Fumiko didn't hesitate to communicate her fondness for the piece of jewelry. "Wah! How pretty!"

I tried to ignore my Guardian Character's embarrassing reaction even as Amakawa-san smiled endearingly toward her. "This 'thing' is called the Humpty Lock, Takeda-san, and has the ability to cause Character Transformations," Amakawa-san informed me, much to my astonishment. "I want you to make good use of it."

"W-why?" I wondered out loud as I accepted the case from Amakawa-san. One would think that I'd properly question more of the lock's supposed ability, but how could I? I'd already readily accepted the existence of Guardian Characters, so why not a piece of jewelry that could trigger character transformations?

"Because of your Heart's Egg," Amakawa-san succinctly supplied after a brief pause. "You have the same dream as me, right? To be a writer?" He winked at me. "Souma-kun thoughtfully told as much to me."

"How helpful of Kukai," Fumiko extolled, nodding her clear agreement with Amakawa-san, to which my former principal reciprocated Fumiko's accordance with a short nod himself.

Reminding myself to kill Kukai later for his frankness, I nonetheless managed to confirm Amakawa-san's supposition since, after all, I had to acknowledge an obvious fact in this strange situation. "Well, yes, Amakawa-san. So?" Mentally slapping myself for my slowness toward guessing the obvious, I started and blurted out, "You're asking me because you're the founding King for Seiyo Academy, right? You're the author of _The Heart's Egg_?"

"Yes," Amakawa-san indicated with what I thought was a surprising mix of confidence and accomplishment. The next moment, though, he quickly dismissed his ability by speaking out loud. "I'm still something of a novice writer."

_Is he backhandedly complimenting himself?_ I wondered with some amusement. Amakawa-san had pulled off the same exact trick, whatever it was, when he'd met with me in order to convince me to take the Seiyo Academy sports scholarship. Similarly, being simultaneously gracious and humble while balancing diverse and various accomplishments in the athletic world was an accomplishment unto itself if one was as poor as I. Maybe Amakawa-san and I really were more alike in character than I'd initially believed.

Before I wandered off onto one of my many characteristically useless mental tangents again, I decided to focus my exhaustive speculative skills on to a more relevant topic. "Please, Amakawa-san, you still haven't directly answered my question as to why you honor me by placing this magical lock in my care. What does wanting to be a writer have anything to with giving me the ability to do character transformations?"

Thankfully, the moment of truth had at last arrived for me. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Fumiko just simply watch our exchange with great interest, almost as if she already suspected the answer to why Amakawa-san had entrusted me with the Humpty Lock. _No, that's bullshit, _I mentally dismissed with a shake of the head at such an irrational thought. _I should really rely on Amakawa-sam for any Guardian Character information._

Never one to run off at the mouth when it came to heavy matters such as the one currently laid at his feet, Amakawa-san paused and closed his eyes, the implications of what was he was considering to say to me visibly swirling around in his head. After an instant of tense silence in which I simply stared at Amakawa-san in utter confusion, my former principal's eyes slowly opened. He slide his calming gaze toward me and raised an index finger to his lips as he were hinting at some earth shattering revelation he was on the verge of sharing with me.

"The answer to your question lies in a writer's secret I'm going to tell you about," my former principal began in soft, measured tones. "Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty...from the beginning, they weren't fulfilled yet. In the beginning of the story, the main character is certainly lacking. 'She and the prince lived happily ever after' goes on the last page, right? From the beginning, the princess has nothing so that's not where the story starts. The little girl who says 'this isn't enough' becomes the story's main character." Amakawa-san finished this little speech by pointing his other index finger at me and winking at me. "As an aspiring writer, I'm sure you understand the importance of finding your own story to tell. With the Humpty Lock, you can help both yourself and others realize their dreams."

Slowly, I reached out with my mind and briefly reflected on Amakawa-san's words of wisdom. Strictly speaking, Fumiko had indeed been born because of something lacking within me. My Guardian Character thus served as a guide toward developing my would-be self. This process would be the main focus of my own story. Still, I was far from sure on how smooth the transition would be, and that uncertainty blindsided me, a rush of fear quickly following soon after. _No kid, especially me, wants to grow up awkwardly,_ I lamented inwardly even as another equally embarrassing thought crossed my brain.

"Amakawa-san, I'm not some fairy tale princess looking for a happily ever after with a prince," I denied quite forcefully in a flurried spat of words. "I'm not that kind of girl." Not surprisingly, my face lit up with the rapidly spreading heat of my self-conscious blush. "My brother would _kill_ me if boys entered the picture now."

Amakawa-san just smiled, knowing Hansuke's sternly big brother temperament all too well. The sum total of my romantic experience with the opposite sex consisted of one confession from a younger classmate when I was about eight. Then, my mother was still alive, and she simply prodded me in the right direction with her characteristic straightforwardness by asking me if I liked the boy back. I distinctly remember replying in the negative, and man, was I glad of my decision several years later. The former admirer in question was Kukai, and my good friend in every respect. I wouldn't change my relationship with Kukai for anything.

Nonetheless, after my vocal refutation, my own mind wandered as to what kind of crush I'd want to have – if I was even interested, which, to be honest, I was too busy to much care in the first place, what with school and rhythmic gymnastics to worry about. Admittedly, having no shortage of guy friends, not to mention an older male relative directly in charge of my care, dramatically changed my view of boys. Wasn't a crush supposed to be a cute, wonderfully puzzling character whose next move you always wondered about in painstaking detail? What fun would it be if your crush was a friend? The problem was, the only hot, mysterious guy I was acquainted with at the moment was... Ikuto. I gave my head a conspicuous shake. No way in hell was I traveling down _that_ dangerous road. He was way too weird and creepy for my taste, although I grudgingly granted he must have his good moments like any other person.

"Of course, I'm by no means limiting your would-be self to finding a prince," Amakawa-san reassured me, much to my relief, "and I'm certain your brother would agree that you have plenty of time in the world for boys."

Then he fixed me with an elusive look of appraisal in his eyes, like he had something to impart to me that was beyond my immediate comprehension, something that really bothered me to no end. What did Amakawa-san see in me? His next statements would haunt me for a while...until...until...

"Yes, I'm definitely thinking at this point you have other priorities, whatever they may be, besides boys. Concentrate on those issues, and you should be just fine. There's a lot in store for you. I can tell."

….until I realized how clairvoyant my former principal actually happened to be. How annoying right his observations would prove to be.

**Author's Note:** Thanks for the feedback, Jae! I hope the next chapter is easier on you. Anyway, you've been a big help. I hope I don't subject you to so much editing in the future! Later, everyone, Utau comes in the next chapter! I promise! If you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to provide them! Also, to those who reviewed and/or added me as a story alert to this story, I hope you're reading my material and offering your best advice. That's how I've always rolled.


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